Motorcycles will be allowed under MECQ

August 3, 2020

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday said motorcycles will still be allowed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

In a radio interview, Año said bicycles and motorcycles are still allowed despite public transportation prohibited under MECQ which will be implemented on August 4.

“Starting midnight tonight (August 4) mass transport will be stopped and we will only allow shuttle services point to point. We encourage bikes, motorcycles will be allowed. The tricycles will be subjected to the LGUs guidelines if they will allow it provided one passenger and only APOR (Authorized Persons Outside Residence) and those who will buy necessities, essentials is the purpose of going out,” he said.

Año encouraged companies and business owners to shuttle their employees as the government aims to have less movement during the two-week MECQ period.

“The number hit 5,000 so we need to lessen the number and the purpose of MECQ is contact tracing, Oplan Kalinga, and to test contact suspects so that they can go quarantine and those who will be tested positive will be extracted and send to COVID isolation facilities,” Año said.

He added that quarantine passes are needed again and they will have a meeting with the Metro Manila mayors on implementing MECQ.

“Under MECQ,  quarantine passes are needed and we will have a meeting with NCR mayors tonight,” he said.

As to the issuance of passes, Año said they will leave it up to the local government units on how they will implement this .

Last Sunday night, President Rodrigo Duterte placed Metro Manila and four other areas under MECQ after the health sector requested “time out” due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

As of Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) recorded 3,226 confirmed cases bringing the total to 106, 330. Ella Dionisio/DMS